Celebrate
by GoldenGirl
Summary: Nolan is in the middle of one of his parties when he gets a very important text. Team Badass. Aimily.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, obviously.

Nolan Ross's parties are the stuff of legend, but even as he's in the middle of enjoying tonight's affair, surrounded by the Hamptons elite in their best cocktail frocks, Nolan freezes as at the name that appears on his phone. He'd forgotten that he's been waiting for this text forever, anticipating it, only to be distracted by this party. The name on the phone reads _A. Ross_. A message from Aiden. He taps it open immediately, and the words on the screen are enough to make tears spring to his eyes. _It's a boy_.

Nolan takes in shaky breath. "It's a boy!" he announces to everyone and no one in particular. Some of the strangers around him, enjoying his house and drinking his wine, look at him with their bemused smiles like he's a freak, but Nolan doesn't care because he just became an uncle. "Bring out the champagne!"

He locks himself in his bedroom, the only empty room in the house, and he calls her. "A boy!" he says, and he can hear her tired laugh, the emotion in her voice. He can hear how happy she is, even through the phone, and it makes him feel like his heart's going to burst. "His name is David Nolan," she says.

"David Nolan?" Nolan repeats, a little stunned, not sure if he heard right. "As in, first name David, second name Nolan?"

"Yes."

And then he hears the unmistakable sound of a newborn baby crying. "Do you hear him?" she asks.

Yes, his heart is about to burst. A minute later Nolan stands on his couch and announces that party is over. Everybody out. When the house is finally empty he books a flight. All his things are ready. (He's had two suitcases of baby clothes ready for months, one full of dresses, one full of sensible baby boy things, but obviously he'll only need one of the cases.) He can't wait to see how David Nolan will look in his new brightly colored chino pants, polo shirts, and sailor hats.


	2. Chapter 2

Firstly, thanks so much for the reviews! I was afraid it was such a tiny short chapter that no one would really care, but your reviews have encouraged me to update, so here it is! I wrote this despite of what went down on 3x12. Or maybe because of it. Never lose hope, shippers!

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Nolan lifts the baby from his stroller, holds him at arm's length, and looks him in the face.

"Say uncle."

In the year since David was born, Nolan has come to visit him five times. Not nearly enough for his liking, but circumstances force him to spread his trips apart by a few months. Every time he's back David is bigger, and he keeps changing. His head is covered in even more light brown, downy hair, and his eyes are more distinctly his mother's; serious and dark. And though Nolan is sure the baby is poised to speak his first words any minute now, David only looks at him, wide-eyed, open-mouthed, drooling.

Aiden places a sailor hat on David's head, which delights Nolan, since it was a gift from him, but it also surprises him. He didn't take Aiden for the dressing-his-son-in-sailor-attire kind of guy.

"It's sunny," Aiden explains.

"Uh huh," Nolan says. He holds David against his chest and the two men continue their stroll through the slow-paced streets of Capri, Italy. Some people openly stare at the pair. They are, after all, two men with a baby, Aiden pushing a stroller. Nolan can only assume they think he and Aiden are a couple. If Aiden notices he doesn't comment on it or seem to care. Nolan smiles at anyone who looks, and lets them think what they want.

"If you get tired of holding him, let me know," Aiden says.

"Me? Tired? Hardly." He's only been here five times, but it's enough for Nolan to witness what a hands-on dad Aiden is. He wears a baby carrier across his chest the way a cop might wear a bullet proof vest. He changes diapers with the focus and precision of a secret agent dismantling a bomb. He carefully measures out formula and shakes the bottles like they're martini cocktails.

In short, Aiden is _007_ gone _Mr. Mom_ and he makes the look work. He is serious and careful when it comes to the care of his child, but playful too. It really is a sight to behold, seeing Aiden's face break open in a huge smile at the smallest things that David does.

It makes Nolan happy for Ems—she goes by Amanda these days but he doesn't think he could ever get used to calling her anything other than Ems—that she ended up with someone who is ultimately good and decent, and who has sworn to protect her and his family. But he should've known that about him. Everything Emily ever did was for her family, and Aiden was the same way. It only makes sense that the two of them together would cherish family above all else.

They round the corner and walk up the path leading to the villa, but Aiden stops in the garden, before making it to the door. "Listen, Nolan, I know that today's your last night here. Before I forget to mention it I wanted to thank you."

Nolan is taken about by Aiden's sudden seriou sness. "Thank me for what?"

"For being here. Coming as often as you do."

"You don't have to thank me for that."

"I do," Aiden says. "Amanda and I don't have much in the way of extended family. You mean a great deal to her. And to me. You know you're always welcome here, right?"

"I know."

"Good."

Just then Ems comes out of the house to meet them in the garden. "I thought I heard someone outside."

Aiden smiles as she comes to kiss him. He holds up a bag of baguettes, fresh from the market. "The Ross men are reporting for lunch," he says.

"How was he?" she asks Nolan, rubbing David's back.

"The little _ragazzo_ was a total dream, as per usual."

They bring the stroller inside and get ready to eat.


	3. Chapter 3

"Say uncle!" David laughs.

Somehow Nolan has found himself flat on his back in a sandbox, David sitting on his chest. The kid is only three but he's managed to pin Nolan to the ground with stealth ninja moves Emily has surely taught him.

"Uncle," Nolan says.

Emily shows up to save the day, as always. She bends over the two of them and scoops David up, moving him off of Nolan to stand beside the sandbox. "I think uncle Nolan has had enough of playing ninjas for today," Emily says. "Why don't you go to the jungle gym."

"I'm getting too old for this," Nolan says.

Emily holds out her hand and Nolan lets her help him up. He brushes the sand out his hair and wipes it off his shoulders. "I see that you've gone directly from potty to kung fu training," Nolan says. "Don't you think he's a bit young to know how to kick my ass?"

"He's never too young to learn that."

They sit on a bench and watch David play. At three, David Nolan Ross is a pretty perfect kid as far as Nolan is concerned. He's tall for his age, something he gets from both of his parents; beautiful like his mom; strong like his dad; and surprisingly funny, like neither of them. Must be something he gets from his uncle.

When David was born, Emily confessed her deepest fears about motherhood to Nolan. She feared that maternal instincts would not come naturally to her. That since she'd never spent any time around children she'd have no idea how to raise one. That since she never knew what it was like to have a good mother that that automatically meant she wouldn't be a good mother herself.

Nolan didn't know if she voiced these fears to Aiden too, only that it was him who she'd call long distance in the middle of the night when she was worried about something. He'd never seen anything rattle Emily quite like worry over her child's safety. Which made sense. David was the miracle baby Emily and Aiden never thought they'd have. But Nolan knew she was being too hard on herself because when he saw Emily the mom in action she was the best mother he could imagine. She was patient and loving. There were hugs and lots of kisses on the forehead or on scraped knees.

And, of course, there was the kung fu training.

"So," Nolan says. "Have you and Aiden given any more thought to coming back to the Hamptons, for old time's sake?"

"Our life is here now, Nolan."

"I know but don't you miss it sometimes? You wouldn't have to worry about running into the Graysons since they're long gone. And you'd get to see Jack and Carl."

Emily smiles and Nolan knows he's got the hook in.

"How are they?" she asks.

"The Porter boys are good. Carl's gotten so big. I bet you him and David would be best friends."

Emily is still smiling, which is a good sign. Nolan has been trying forever to get Emily to come back home, get the gang all back together again and he thinks he might finally be getting to her. But then her smile fades as she watches something in the distance. Nolan follows her gaze and sees a boy blocking David's entrance to the slide.

"Ems, I know that look. Don't tell me you're planning a _toddler take-down_."

"That boy is being a bully," she says.

Nolan places a hand on top of Emily's. "Resist the urge for vengeance, Ems." He's joking. Well, half joking.

Emily lets a moment pass but that croc stare of hers is still present as ever. It's almost like her revengy days aren't behind her, just redirected. It both scares Nolan and secretly thrills him, just a little bit. Emily is a caring and nurturing mother, but she is also a mother who won't hesitate to put a bully in his place. She stands up. She's either going to give that boy a talking to or something much worse. Nolan is glad he's here for situations just like these. She'll need a sidekick to either stop her or help her.

They'll have to pick up their Hamptons convo another time.


End file.
